Game



Patented May 8, 1934 UNITE PATENT GFFECE Application February 6,

3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in games, and more particularly to a game played with a ball, and has among its objects the construction of such a device which shall be neat and attractive in appearance, novel, simple, light but sturdy, efficient, durable and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a box or receptacle for the playing of this 'game, divided into a plurality of ball-receiving compartments, and so constructed that the call may be removed from any one of the compartments by grasping the same with the middle or base of the fingers and thumb instead of with the tips of these members.

Another of the objects of this invention is to provide a carrying and playing handle for the box, and which shall be secured to the latter so as to reinforce the same and enable the box to be easily manipulated.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a top cover for the game device, so constructed that the ball may be easily caught within the device but will not easily bounce out therefrom.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, from the disclosures herein given.

To this end, my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, combination of parts, and uses mentioned, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, wherein like references indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved device as used with the lid thereon;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same, partly in section, with the lid removed; and

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional View of t e device as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein I have illustrated one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, A represents a box or receptacle of any size, shape and material, preferably rectangular in plan view, and upon which a lid or top closure B may be fitted.

The lower part of the device, or the box proper,

A, comprises the enclosing or bounding side walls 1, preferably arranged in the form of a rectangle, and a bottom wall or floor 2, the latter projecting beyond the enclosing side walls at one point as at 3, for a purpose to be more clearly hereinafter set forth.

Partition means C are arranged to extend across 1933, Serial No. 655,339 (Cl. 273-96) the interior of the box from one side wall to the other in intersecting directions, as at right angles, so as to divide the box into a plurality of substantially ke compartments or chambers, each of a size to substantially snugly receive the playing ball D within its confines. Each of the compartments is given any arbitrary scoring or playing value and marked accordingly, as shown at 4.

Ordinarily, it is quite difficult to remove a ball from one of the compartments along one of the side walls, as only the extreme tips of the fingers may be interposed between the ball and the en closing wall, and even then the ball is contacted with at a point much above its central plane. To obviate this difiiculty, I have so constructed the device that the ball may be gras Jfid either at a point below its center or at least by the base or intermediate portions of the fingers, to thereby obtain a more positive and assured grip thereon.

To this end, I have formed cut-outs 5, extending horizontally along each of the bounding walls 1, these elongated openings having their lower edges 6 at substantially the mid-height of the ball to be used in play, the ends of said openings being about as close to the ends of the walls as is commensurate with safety of the strength of the box itself, and extending upwardly to about the same extent. This enables the player to insert his fingers outwardly through said openings, quite easily, so any ball against the side wall may be contacted by that portion of the outwardly extended fingers quite some distance back from the finger tips.

The partition means C may consist of wires as shown, if desired, the upper edges thereof being at substantially the same height as the lower edge of the openings 5, and bent downwardly intermediate the ends of each of the compartments to provide the depressions 7 which extend Well be-. low the upper edges of the wires, so that when the ball is in one of the compartments and it is desired to lift the ball therefrom, the finger or thumb adjacent the partition will engage the ball at said depression at a point below the center of the ball.

Any suitable fastening means may be used to secure the ends of the partition means to the box, as by the means 8 comprising the pair of legs 99 snugly straddling the side walls on the lower edge of the openings and having a tubular projection 10 secured to and receiving the ends of the wire. In this construction, the partitions are provided in a manner to insure the lightest construction, and a full view of the clear space below the wires is afiorded.

A handle 11 is provided with a central longitudinally extending slot at one end to receive the projection 3 of the box bottom, that portion of said end of the handle above said slot abutting against the exterior of the adjacent side wall, and that portion below said slot being extended forwardly so as to underlie the bottom for quite a distance inwardly of said projection, said handle being secured to the box in said relationship.

In play, the ball is either received into the box by being thrown by another, by bouncing thereinto by the player holding the box, or in any other manner, it being obvious that the player may either strike the ball with the under side of the box to cause it to bounce, or he may merely throw it against the floor or wall and catch it within the box. The object is to cause the ball to be received in those compartments having the highest scoring value.

Where it is desired to play the game with the lid on the box, the ball is prevented from accidentally bouncing out of the box by providing a flange 12, extending interiorly into the box to a point below the inside of the cover, said inlet being flared outwardly beyond the lid as at 13.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, arrangement, construction, and combination of parts herein shown and set forth, except as limited by the state of the art to which this invention appertains, or the claims hereunto appended.

What I desire to secure by patent and claim is:

1. In a game device of the kind described, a ball-receiving receptacle comprising enclosing side walls, partition means transversely of said receptacle to form a plurality of play compartments along said side walls of a size to snugly receive and frictionally hold the play ball therein, said side walls having openings therethrough extending upwardly from adjacent the mid-height of said ball so that the tips of the fingers may be inserted outwardly through said openings from Within the box when it is desired to grasp said ball while the latter is frictionally held in a compartment against one of the side walls of the receptacle.

2. In a game, a ball-receiving box, comprising walls with horizontally elongated openings therethrough extending upwardly from adjacent the mid-height of said ball, and means within said box between said walls and spaced above the bottom of the box to form ball-receiving compartments of a size to snugly and frictionally receive said ball, said means provided with depressions intermediate the ends of the compartments to a point well below the mid-height of said ball.

3. In a game construction, the combination of an enclosure formed of side walls having elongated openings therethrough, and partitions extending between said walls to form a plurality of ball-receiving compartments to snugly receive and frictionally hold the ball therein, the upper edges of said partitions and the lower edges of said openings being at substantially the midheight of said ball, and said partitions provided with depressions intermediate the ends of the compartments and extending downwardly to a point below the mid-height of said ball.

ALBERT A. ABRAMS. 

